Take a Knee

Remember, kids, in the NFL it’s always better to get arrested for domestic violence than take a knee during the National Anthem.  Just ask Reuben Foster and Colin Kaepernick. 

Kaepernick, of course, gained notoriety—to say nothing of unemployment—for his anthem protests during the 2016 season.  In the two years since, not a team has found any use for the free agent and onetime Super Bowl (XLVII, 2013) quarterback.  Kaepernick turned 31 this month, so his employment “status” doesn’t seem quite as bizarre—and outrageous—as it did two years ago, at its start.   Ironically, Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the 49ers a month before they drafted Foster, a linebacker out of Alabama.

Foster had a good rookie season in 2017, with the second most tackles on the team and third most for a loss.  Then came the offseason, with arrests for marijuana possession and domestic abuse, charges for which were dropped after the victim recanted her allegations.  Those run-ins with the law led to a two-game suspension at the start of this season, which saw Foster total 29 tackles in six games going into last weekend.  That’s when he was arrested a second time for domestic violence while with the team in Tampa.

But fear not, you lovers of second chances.  Within 48 hours of his 49ers’ release, Foster was picked up by the Redskins, a team that could not care less who’s offended by their name or their roster moves.  Washington did go through the motions of sounding concerned, though.  Team executive Doug Williams released a statement in which he said the allegations “are nothing our organization would ever condone” and Foster will have to “go through numerous steps” before he could ever “wear the burgundy and gold” of Washington.

Even with another suspension likely, Foster has better career prospects than Kaepernick does.  How sad, and revealing.